Palestinian rocket explosions marked by the wail of the Tzeva Adom siren alert sounded throughout the day in Sderot and the western Negev. Beginning on Tuesday night, 60 Palestinian rockets have slammed Sderot, the western Negev, and Ashkelon.

One Grad-Katyusha hit outside a home in Ashkelon, sending several people into shock, while destroying a storage shed and shattering the windows of the Ashkelon home. Another Grad-Katyusha slammed into an Ashkelon factory, causing extensive damage. In all, seven Grad-Katyusha rockets hit Ashkelon today.

Photo: Roy Edan

Barzilai Medical Center reported that of the 24 people hospitalized for shock on Wednesday, 12 were children.

In the Sdot Negev Regional Council, a Palestinian rocket directly hit a home, causing extensive damage as well. No one was wounded in the attack.During the early morning, a barrage of Palestinian rockets were fired at Netivot, with one landing in the industrial zone of the city and several more in the agricultural fields outside the city. Another Palestinian rocket landed outside a Netivot Youth Center. Two Netivot residents were treated for trauma.

Among the rockets fired from the Gaza Strip in the morning, one Palestinian rocket failed to clear the border and landed in the Gaza town of Beit Lahiya, lightly wounding two Palestinian civilians.Several Qassams were fired at Sderot with one falling 50 meters outside Sderot Media Center in an industrial center, shattering the windows of several offices in the area and sending a number of people into shock.Sderot Media Center staff were in the office at the time the office at the time the rocket hit. “We heard the shriek of the Qassam zooming over and the office literally shook from the impact of the rocket explosion,” said Itzik Yarkoni.

Photo: Roy Edan

On Tuesday, five Qassam rockets were fired at Sderot and the western Negev. One Palestinian rocket landed 30 meters away from the Sderot home that was directly hit by a Qassam rocket this past Sunday.

In all, 37 Palestinian rockets, and 23 mortar shells were fired at Israel in the past 24hours. Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the morning rocket terror.

What a lovely Chanukah gift Hamas is giving the people of Israel. Over 50 rockets shattering lives in Sderot and Ashkelon. It has only been a small miracle that no body has been seriously hurt or killed yet. But it will happen.

You can give the people of the area a better Christmas/Chanukah gift. By clicking on the logo at the top or bottom of this post, you can give a donation to the Sderot Media Center. A little bit goes a long way.

I ask all to remember these men, women and children in your prayers. Remind others of the risks and horror that they live with each and every day.

Palestinian rocket explosions marked by the wail of the Tzeva Adom siren alert sounded throughout the day in Sderot and the western Negev. Beginning on Tuesday night, 60 Palestinian rockets have slammed Sderot, the western Negev, and Ashkelon.

One Grad-Katyusha hit outside a home in Ashkelon, sending several people into shock, while destroying a storage shed and shattering the windows of the Ashkelon home. Another Grad-Katyusha slammed into an Ashkelon factory, causing extensive damage. In all, seven Grad-Katyusha rockets hit Ashkelon today.

Photo: Roy Edan

Barzilai Medical Center reported that of the 24 people hospitalized for shock on Wednesday, 12 were children.

In the Sdot Negev Regional Council, a Palestinian rocket directly hit a home, causing extensive damage as well. No one was wounded in the attack.During the early morning, a barrage of Palestinian rockets were fired at Netivot, with one landing in the industrial zone of the city and several more in the agricultural fields outside the city. Another Palestinian rocket landed outside a Netivot Youth Center. Two Netivot residents were treated for trauma.

Among the rockets fired from the Gaza Strip in the morning, one Palestinian rocket failed to clear the border and landed in the Gaza town of Beit Lahiya, lightly wounding two Palestinian civilians.Several Qassams were fired at Sderot with one falling 50 meters outside Sderot Media Center in an industrial center, shattering the windows of several offices in the area and sending a number of people into shock.Sderot Media Center staff were in the office at the time the office at the time the rocket hit. “We heard the shriek of the Qassam zooming over and the office literally shook from the impact of the rocket explosion,” said Itzik Yarkoni.

Photo: Roy Edan

On Tuesday, five Qassam rockets were fired at Sderot and the western Negev. One Palestinian rocket landed 30 meters away from the Sderot home that was directly hit by a Qassam rocket this past Sunday.

In all, 37 Palestinian rockets, and 23 mortar shells were fired at Israel in the past 24hours. Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the morning rocket terror.

What a lovely Chanukah gift Hamas is giving the people of Israel. Over 50 rockets shattering lives in Sderot and Ashkelon. It has only been a small miracle that no body has been seriously hurt or killed yet. But it will happen.

You can give the people of the area a better Christmas/Chanukah gift. By clicking on the logo at the top or bottom of this post, you can give a donation to the Sderot Media Center. A little bit goes a long way.

I ask all to remember these men, women and children in your prayers. Remind others of the risks and horror that they live with each and every day.

Palestinian rocket explosions marked by the wail of the Tzeva Adom siren alert sounded throughout the day in Sderot and the western Negev. Beginning on Tuesday night, 60 Palestinian rockets have slammed Sderot, the western Negev, and Ashkelon.

One Grad-Katyusha hit outside a home in Ashkelon, sending several people into shock, while destroying a storage shed and shattering the windows of the Ashkelon home. Another Grad-Katyusha slammed into an Ashkelon factory, causing extensive damage. In all, seven Grad-Katyusha rockets hit Ashkelon today.

Photo: Roy Edan

Barzilai Medical Center reported that of the 24 people hospitalized for shock on Wednesday, 12 were children.

In the Sdot Negev Regional Council, a Palestinian rocket directly hit a home, causing extensive damage as well. No one was wounded in the attack.During the early morning, a barrage of Palestinian rockets were fired at Netivot, with one landing in the industrial zone of the city and several more in the agricultural fields outside the city. Another Palestinian rocket landed outside a Netivot Youth Center. Two Netivot residents were treated for trauma.

Among the rockets fired from the Gaza Strip in the morning, one Palestinian rocket failed to clear the border and landed in the Gaza town of Beit Lahiya, lightly wounding two Palestinian civilians.Several Qassams were fired at Sderot with one falling 50 meters outside Sderot Media Center in an industrial center, shattering the windows of several offices in the area and sending a number of people into shock.Sderot Media Center staff were in the office at the time the office at the time the rocket hit. “We heard the shriek of the Qassam zooming over and the office literally shook from the impact of the rocket explosion,” said Itzik Yarkoni.

Photo: Roy Edan

On Tuesday, five Qassam rockets were fired at Sderot and the western Negev. One Palestinian rocket landed 30 meters away from the Sderot home that was directly hit by a Qassam rocket this past Sunday.

In all, 37 Palestinian rockets, and 23 mortar shells were fired at Israel in the past 24hours. Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the morning rocket terror.

What a lovely Chanukah gift Hamas is giving the people of Israel. Over 50 rockets shattering lives in Sderot and Ashkelon. It has only been a small miracle that no body has been seriously hurt or killed yet. But it will happen.

You can give the people of the area a better Christmas/Chanukah gift. By clicking on the logo at the top or bottom of this post, you can give a donation to the Sderot Media Center. A little bit goes a long way.

I ask all to remember these men, women and children in your prayers. Remind others of the risks and horror that they live with each and every day.

Imagine that you live under a situation in which every day there is a rocket attack from your neighbors. You don’t know where it is going to strike, you don’t know if your home, your family will suffer this time. Imagine that this has been going on for 8 years and the authorities would do nothing to stop these attacks. This is what the citizens of Sderot and the Western Negev have lived with for 8 years now. Even when there was a so-called “truce”, the rockets fell. And yet the world only condemns Israel for attacking back.

Four Qassam rockets were fired from northern Gaza Saturday evening towards the city of Sderot in south Israel. There were no reports of injuries or damage.One of the rockets landed in the courtyard of a local factory, but caused no damage to the site. Another rocket landed near a kibbutz in the Sha’ar Hanegev Regional Council, while the third landed near the security fence separating Israel from the Hamas-controlled territory. The landing site of the fourth Qassam has yet to be located.

The attack on Sderot took place at around 19:30 pm; loud explosions were heard in the city.

The al-Quds Brigades, Islamic Jihad’s armed wing, claimed responsibility for the barrage, saying it was launched in retaliation for Israel’s “continued aggression” and “crimes of the occupation.”

At 9:30 pm another Qassam rocket fired from Gaza landed in an open area in the Sha’ar Hanegev Regional Council. There were no reports of injuries or damage.

At least 15 Qassams and 26 mortars were fired toward the western Negev region throughout the day.

In the afternoon a barrage of mortar shells and one rocket fell in a kibbutz located within the Shaar HaNegev Regional Council’s limits.

Now imagine a former US President siding with your attackers, advising them and telling the Media that it is all your fault that you are being attacked by your neighbor.

Former United States President Jimmy Carter reported that he advised Syrian-based Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal on what price to demand from Israel for the release of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, who was abducted more than two years ago. He said that Hamas is “relatively satisfied with the status quo.”

Carter’s visit to Lebanon and Syria earlier this month follows a trip to to Damascus several months ago in the face of American policy against establishing direct contact with the outlawed terrorist organization.

Carter wrote on his website that he spoke with Mashaal about “formulas for prisoner exchange to obtain the release of Corporal Shalit,” who has since been promoted to sergeant.

However, he probably is not aware of the promotion because the International Red Cross has not succeeded in convincing Hamas to honor the Geneva Convention and allow its officials to visit him. The Red Cross also has rejected Israeli citizen’s demands that it stop visiting terrorists in Israeli jails until Shalit is seen and confirmed to be alive and in good health.Full Story

I see that a nursing home hasn’t been found for Grandpa Carter yet.

In order to put forward your side of the conflict you hold a news conference, but the media does not attend, calling you an aggressor and murderer.

A day before the Hamas-Israel ceasefire officially ended, Sderot Media Center facilitated a press conference with a panel of Sderot officials who provided brief updates of the security situation and the impact of the ceasefire on the area residents to Israeli and international press.Member of Knesset and Kadima party member, Shai Chermesh, who is a resident of Kfar Aza, a western Negev community under daily mortar shelling, participated in the panel. He stated that the ceasefire had yielded no positive results for Israel. “Gilad Schalit is still in Gaza and Sderot and western Negev residents are still under rocket fire. This is a reality that our government must deal with and as of now, the government of Israel has shown that it has little authority over what is happening to Sderot and the western Negev,” MK Chermesh concluded.

“Hamas is the occupying power of Gaza and has treated its constituents terribly,” he added. “Hamas must stop using their own Palestinian civilians as sacrificial offerings by employing rocket terror tactics against innocent Israelis.”Chermesh stated that he believed that disengaging from Gaza in 2005 was a positive move. “It was important that we left and it was too bad that we didn’t leave earlier,” he stated. “If the IDF re-enters Gaza, the attack must be planned carefully. The people of Gaza should not go hungry and we must limit civilian causalities as much as possible.”

Batya Katar, representing the Parents Association for the security of Sderot, stated that Sderot residents feel that Sderot is a separate entity. “We don’t have the right leaders to deal with the reality of the region,” she said. “If this was happening in Tel Aviv, there would be a completely different reaction from the government.”

“Only yesterday evening, a Palestinian rocket landed right outside a busy supermarket. People outside at the time barely escaped the rocket explosion,” Katar added. “Thanks to the Tzeva Adom, they were able to make it inside, but the attack could have been deadly. How many more rocket attacks must Sderot experience, how many near-death experiences must Sderot residents endure–before the government of Israel acts?”

The president of Sderot’s Small Businesses Association, Danny Dahan told the press that the rocket fire was economically crippling the region. Dahan, who owns Dahan’s supermarket in Sderot, explained that the changed shopping patterns of his customers–“they rush in and rush out” has contributed to the decrease in sales. “People no longer linger around, taking their time to buy food. Everyone wants to go home as quickly as possible.” Dahan also stated that due to the rocket fire, there were problems with shipments of goods coming into Sderot. “Some of our suppliers refuse to enter Sderot because of the rocket fire. Many times, I end up going to the junction in Ashkelon to pick up the goods for my supermarket.”

Noam Bedein, Sderot Media Center director, highlighted that the over 2,500 Palestinian rockets fired at Sderot and the western Negev have caused a marked increase in psychological trauma among Sderot children. “Between 70-94% of Sderot children are suffering from signs of PTSD, according to a recent NATAL survey” Bedein stated.

Bedein also related that between 300-400 Palestinian rockets have been fired at Israel since the ceasefire began in June. Yehuda Ben Maman, the Sderot security officer, added that although many bomb shelters have emerged throughout Sderot in the recent year, most of the structures provide protection from rocket shrapnel only and not from direct Qassam rocket hits.

But for the people of Sderot and the Western Negev, the IDF might be giving them a Chanukah present.

Military source: IDF prepared to ‘conquer Gaza Strip’ if need be

Military sources said the IDF was preparing for a wide-range of scenarios, pending government instructions.

“We have operational plans ranging from conquering the Gaza Strip to pinpoint raids against rocket squads,” one officer said. “However, we will ultimately do what we are told to do.”

You can give the children of Sderot a wonderful Christmas/Chanukah gift too. A small donation to the Sderot Media Center will give a child the gift of hope and love. It pays for the small parties given to the children of Sderot, the psychological counseling that many of the citizens need, and the legal help the people of the region need to deal with the government bureaucracy. It is easy to do. Just click on the Sderot Media Logo at the top or bottom of this post and follow the directions from there.

Imagine that you live under a situation in which every day there is a rocket attack from your neighbors. You don’t know where it is going to strike, you don’t know if your home, your family will suffer this time. Imagine that this has been going on for 8 years and the authorities would do nothing to stop these attacks. This is what the citizens of Sderot and the Western Negev have lived with for 8 years now. Even when there was a so-called “truce”, the rockets fell. And yet the world only condemns Israel for attacking back.

Four Qassam rockets were fired from northern Gaza Saturday evening towards the city of Sderot in south Israel. There were no reports of injuries or damage.One of the rockets landed in the courtyard of a local factory, but caused no damage to the site. Another rocket landed near a kibbutz in the Sha’ar Hanegev Regional Council, while the third landed near the security fence separating Israel from the Hamas-controlled territory. The landing site of the fourth Qassam has yet to be located.

The attack on Sderot took place at around 19:30 pm; loud explosions were heard in the city.

The al-Quds Brigades, Islamic Jihad’s armed wing, claimed responsibility for the barrage, saying it was launched in retaliation for Israel’s “continued aggression” and “crimes of the occupation.”

At 9:30 pm another Qassam rocket fired from Gaza landed in an open area in the Sha’ar Hanegev Regional Council. There were no reports of injuries or damage.

At least 15 Qassams and 26 mortars were fired toward the western Negev region throughout the day.

In the afternoon a barrage of mortar shells and one rocket fell in a kibbutz located within the Shaar HaNegev Regional Council’s limits.

Now imagine a former US President siding with your attackers, advising them and telling the Media that it is all your fault that you are being attacked by your neighbor.

Former United States President Jimmy Carter reported that he advised Syrian-based Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal on what price to demand from Israel for the release of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, who was abducted more than two years ago. He said that Hamas is “relatively satisfied with the status quo.”

Carter’s visit to Lebanon and Syria earlier this month follows a trip to to Damascus several months ago in the face of American policy against establishing direct contact with the outlawed terrorist organization.

Carter wrote on his website that he spoke with Mashaal about “formulas for prisoner exchange to obtain the release of Corporal Shalit,” who has since been promoted to sergeant.

However, he probably is not aware of the promotion because the International Red Cross has not succeeded in convincing Hamas to honor the Geneva Convention and allow its officials to visit him. The Red Cross also has rejected Israeli citizen’s demands that it stop visiting terrorists in Israeli jails until Shalit is seen and confirmed to be alive and in good health.Full Story

I see that a nursing home hasn’t been found for Grandpa Carter yet.

In order to put forward your side of the conflict you hold a news conference, but the media does not attend, calling you an aggressor and murderer.

A day before the Hamas-Israel ceasefire officially ended, Sderot Media Center facilitated a press conference with a panel of Sderot officials who provided brief updates of the security situation and the impact of the ceasefire on the area residents to Israeli and international press.Member of Knesset and Kadima party member, Shai Chermesh, who is a resident of Kfar Aza, a western Negev community under daily mortar shelling, participated in the panel. He stated that the ceasefire had yielded no positive results for Israel. “Gilad Schalit is still in Gaza and Sderot and western Negev residents are still under rocket fire. This is a reality that our government must deal with and as of now, the government of Israel has shown that it has little authority over what is happening to Sderot and the western Negev,” MK Chermesh concluded.

“Hamas is the occupying power of Gaza and has treated its constituents terribly,” he added. “Hamas must stop using their own Palestinian civilians as sacrificial offerings by employing rocket terror tactics against innocent Israelis.”Chermesh stated that he believed that disengaging from Gaza in 2005 was a positive move. “It was important that we left and it was too bad that we didn’t leave earlier,” he stated. “If the IDF re-enters Gaza, the attack must be planned carefully. The people of Gaza should not go hungry and we must limit civilian causalities as much as possible.”

Batya Katar, representing the Parents Association for the security of Sderot, stated that Sderot residents feel that Sderot is a separate entity. “We don’t have the right leaders to deal with the reality of the region,” she said. “If this was happening in Tel Aviv, there would be a completely different reaction from the government.”

“Only yesterday evening, a Palestinian rocket landed right outside a busy supermarket. People outside at the time barely escaped the rocket explosion,” Katar added. “Thanks to the Tzeva Adom, they were able to make it inside, but the attack could have been deadly. How many more rocket attacks must Sderot experience, how many near-death experiences must Sderot residents endure–before the government of Israel acts?”

The president of Sderot’s Small Businesses Association, Danny Dahan told the press that the rocket fire was economically crippling the region. Dahan, who owns Dahan’s supermarket in Sderot, explained that the changed shopping patterns of his customers–“they rush in and rush out” has contributed to the decrease in sales. “People no longer linger around, taking their time to buy food. Everyone wants to go home as quickly as possible.” Dahan also stated that due to the rocket fire, there were problems with shipments of goods coming into Sderot. “Some of our suppliers refuse to enter Sderot because of the rocket fire. Many times, I end up going to the junction in Ashkelon to pick up the goods for my supermarket.”

Noam Bedein, Sderot Media Center director, highlighted that the over 2,500 Palestinian rockets fired at Sderot and the western Negev have caused a marked increase in psychological trauma among Sderot children. “Between 70-94% of Sderot children are suffering from signs of PTSD, according to a recent NATAL survey” Bedein stated.

Bedein also related that between 300-400 Palestinian rockets have been fired at Israel since the ceasefire began in June. Yehuda Ben Maman, the Sderot security officer, added that although many bomb shelters have emerged throughout Sderot in the recent year, most of the structures provide protection from rocket shrapnel only and not from direct Qassam rocket hits.

But for the people of Sderot and the Western Negev, the IDF might be giving them a Chanukah present.

Military source: IDF prepared to ‘conquer Gaza Strip’ if need be

Military sources said the IDF was preparing for a wide-range of scenarios, pending government instructions.

“We have operational plans ranging from conquering the Gaza Strip to pinpoint raids against rocket squads,” one officer said. “However, we will ultimately do what we are told to do.”

You can give the children of Sderot a wonderful Christmas/Chanukah gift too. A small donation to the Sderot Media Center will give a child the gift of hope and love. It pays for the small parties given to the children of Sderot, the psychological counseling that many of the citizens need, and the legal help the people of the region need to deal with the government bureaucracy. It is easy to do. Just click on the Sderot Media Logo at the top or bottom of this post and follow the directions from there.

More than 126 Qassam and 71 mortar rockets were fired at Sderot and the Negev from northern Gaza since November 4 according to the Intelligence and Terrorism and Information Center.

November 4-5, 2008: Over 60 Palestinian Qassam rockets were fired on Sderot and the western Negev. Hamas renewed Qassam rocket fire against Israeli civilians living in the Negev throughout Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, in light of. The rockets damaged several green houses in the western Negev. Two rockets landed in Ashkelon, one which hit a quiet neighborhood, and sent three people into shock and trauma. The massive rocket attack came about when IDF Special Forces entered Gaza to blow up a tunnel dug by Hamas terrorists that was created in order to abduct Israeli soldiers.

November 7, 2008: Southern Israelis woke up to another day of rocket attacks Friday as Palestinian terrorists fired five Kassams at western Negev neighborhoods. The rockets landed in the Sderot, Eshkol and Sha’ar Hanegev regions. No one was wounded and no damage was reported. One of the Kassams landed near a kibbutz reservoir, while a second hit the fence surrounding another western Negev kibbutz. The other rockets hit open areas. The Islamic Jihad’s armed wing claimed responsibility for the attacks. (Jerusalem Post)

November 14, 2008: A Qassam rocket launched from the northern Gaza Strip hit an electric pole near a house in Sderot on Friday, injuring an 80-year-old woman with shrapnel and seven people suffered from shock from the attack.

Four more rockets hit the Ashkelon area later Friday. One landed inside the city, another fell just outside, and two more landed in nearby open fields shortly after an alarm was sounded. Defense establishment officials said at least two of the rockets were Grad missiles. Three people suffered from shock. All victims were evacuated to Barzilai hospital in Ashkelon. A total of 14 rockets were fired on the Western Negev on Friday. (YNET News)

November 20, 2008: The port city of Ashdod, 24 km north of the Gaza border, was this week connected to the rocket alert system already in use in Ashkelon and Sderot. It is an acknowledgement that threats by Palestinian militants to bring it within range are being takenseriously. (Jewish Chronicle)

November 27, 2008: Gaza terrorists continued their attacks on southern Israel Thursday evening, firing a Kassam rocket that hit a home in the Eshkol region, damaging the structure wounding no one. Earlier Thursday, two rockets landed in open areas in the western Negev. The exact impact sites of the other two rockets could not initially be ascertained due to heavy fog in the area, however there were no reports of wounded or further damage.

November 29, 2008: Eight Israel Defense Forces soldiers were wounded Friday evening, two seriously, after mortars fired by Gaza Strip militants hit a military base near Kibbutz Nahal Oz in the western Negev. The soldiers were evacuated to Soroka Hospital in Be’er Sheva and to Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon. Six soldiers were still hospitalized Saturday morning. Doctors had to amputate the leg of one of the soldiers who was brought to the hospital in serious condition.(Haaretz.com)

From Monkey in the Middle:

Just imagine you are sitting down to your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner and a rocket lands in your home, or your neighbors, or your child’s school. Imagine the stress and trauma that the people of the Western Negev have lived with these 8 years. No nation on Earth would put up with it for this long, and yet Israel has to. Why? Because the world would condemn them if they truly struck back.

This holiday season please give a small donation to the Sderot Media Center. Help make a traumatized child’s Hanukkah a little more joyful.

It has been said by many that only Jews can make light of a tragedy. That when things are bad they turn to comedy. And so it is in Israel with the situation in the Western Negev. And only Yaakov Kirschen can do it best.

More than 126 Qassam and 71 mortar rockets were fired at Sderot and the Negev from northern Gaza since November 4 according to the Intelligence and Terrorism and Information Center.

November 4-5, 2008: Over 60 Palestinian Qassam rockets were fired on Sderot and the western Negev. Hamas renewed Qassam rocket fire against Israeli civilians living in the Negev throughout Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, in light of. The rockets damaged several green houses in the western Negev. Two rockets landed in Ashkelon, one which hit a quiet neighborhood, and sent three people into shock and trauma. The massive rocket attack came about when IDF Special Forces entered Gaza to blow up a tunnel dug by Hamas terrorists that was created in order to abduct Israeli soldiers.

November 7, 2008: Southern Israelis woke up to another day of rocket attacks Friday as Palestinian terrorists fired five Kassams at western Negev neighborhoods. The rockets landed in the Sderot, Eshkol and Sha’ar Hanegev regions. No one was wounded and no damage was reported. One of the Kassams landed near a kibbutz reservoir, while a second hit the fence surrounding another western Negev kibbutz. The other rockets hit open areas. The Islamic Jihad’s armed wing claimed responsibility for the attacks. (Jerusalem Post)

November 14, 2008: A Qassam rocket launched from the northern Gaza Strip hit an electric pole near a house in Sderot on Friday, injuring an 80-year-old woman with shrapnel and seven people suffered from shock from the attack.

Four more rockets hit the Ashkelon area later Friday. One landed inside the city, another fell just outside, and two more landed in nearby open fields shortly after an alarm was sounded. Defense establishment officials said at least two of the rockets were Grad missiles. Three people suffered from shock. All victims were evacuated to Barzilai hospital in Ashkelon. A total of 14 rockets were fired on the Western Negev on Friday. (YNET News)

November 20, 2008: The port city of Ashdod, 24 km north of the Gaza border, was this week connected to the rocket alert system already in use in Ashkelon and Sderot. It is an acknowledgement that threats by Palestinian militants to bring it within range are being takenseriously. (Jewish Chronicle)

November 27, 2008: Gaza terrorists continued their attacks on southern Israel Thursday evening, firing a Kassam rocket that hit a home in the Eshkol region, damaging the structure wounding no one. Earlier Thursday, two rockets landed in open areas in the western Negev. The exact impact sites of the other two rockets could not initially be ascertained due to heavy fog in the area, however there were no reports of wounded or further damage.

November 29, 2008: Eight Israel Defense Forces soldiers were wounded Friday evening, two seriously, after mortars fired by Gaza Strip militants hit a military base near Kibbutz Nahal Oz in the western Negev. The soldiers were evacuated to Soroka Hospital in Be’er Sheva and to Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon. Six soldiers were still hospitalized Saturday morning. Doctors had to amputate the leg of one of the soldiers who was brought to the hospital in serious condition.(Haaretz.com)

From Monkey in the Middle:

Just imagine you are sitting down to your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner and a rocket lands in your home, or your neighbors, or your child’s school. Imagine the stress and trauma that the people of the Western Negev have lived with these 8 years. No nation on Earth would put up with it for this long, and yet Israel has to. Why? Because the world would condemn them if they truly struck back.

This holiday season please give a small donation to the Sderot Media Center. Help make a traumatized child’s Hanukkah a little more joyful.

It has been said by many that only Jews can make light of a tragedy. That when things are bad they turn to comedy. And so it is in Israel with the situation in the Western Negev. And only Yaakov Kirschen can do it best.